Punjab News Punjab may budge over damage to property bill

Lily

B.R
Staff member
Chandigarh October 4:

Facing elections and wrath of civil society against Punjab (Prevention of Damage to Public and Private Property) Act 2010, the government has decided to remove a controversial clause from what democratic rights group called a "draconian" law.

The government in the last session of the 13th Vidhan Sabha had made up its mind to bring an amendment to allow holding protests even without informing the district magistrate. The original bill passed and sent for Presidential assent due to implications on CrPC mandated that protestors seek permission from district magistrate of the area so that the entire protest could be videographed to prevent arson or damaging property.

The government initially thought to amend the clause to make it mandatory "just to inform" the district magistrate as against seeking permission as per the present bill. But, the government has gone a step further to completely remove this business of even informing. However, the government still can seek information and insist on permission by invoking Section 144 of CrPC. Through this tool, the Delhi government had managed to disallow Anna Hazare from holding a protest at Jantar Mantar.

The decision to amend the Act follows a score of Left organizations of farmers, employees and students laying siege around Chandigarh to stall entry of traffic to and fro Chandigarh late last month, seeking withdrawal of the two "black" laws, including the Damage to Property Act. The Act was conceived when Punjab witnessed widespread damage to public property post-Vienna killing of a Ravidassia saint and Mumbai High Court slapping a fine on a political party during whose protest led to arson and damage to public and private property.

The Act had invited public ire with the opposition threatening to challenge the law in the court and People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) led by its Punjab state president Roshan Lal Batta petitioning governor Shivraj V Patil not to give assent to the bill as it will create Binayak Sens in Punjab. Dr Binayak Sen's arrest in Chhattisgarh was made under a special law and he could not be granted bail pending trial till the Supreme Court allowed him freedom.

 
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